Indicating means for valves



@nt. 22, 1946. H. M. REEVES INDICATING- MEANS FOR VALVES Filed March 11, 1944 In ven or fat/0r Hererfjlifiee was Patented Oct. 22, 1946 2,409,796 INDICATINGMEANS FOR VALVES Herbert M. Reeves, Kankakce, Ill., assignor to Florence Stove Company, Gardner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 11, 1944, Serial No. 526,071

1 Claim.

The invention relates to valves of the type cominonly used in liquid fuel or kerosene stoves and more particularly to improved indicating means for such valves.

Valves of the above general character are ordinarily provided with a valve member which is rotatably adjusted or set by means of a manually operable handle. Even though constructed of accurately made partathe precise angular position of the valve member for a given valve setting will vary considerably for different valves. Moreover, the angular position of the member is subject to progressive variation as the parts become worn in use. These considerations have made it impractical heretofore to provide accurate and reliable indicating means for liquid fuel stove valves. With the above in view, one object of the invention is to provide novel valve position indicating means which is readily adjustable to take care of any initial irregularities in the valve parts and to compensate for wear of the parts in use whereby to provide an accurate visual indication of the adjusted or set position of the valve at all times.

Another object is to provide adjustable valve position indicating means of a simple inexpensive character which is adapted to be incorporated in the handle of the valve.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a typical valve to which the improved indicating means may be applied.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve handle with the indicating means incorporated therein.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the valve handle taken in a plane substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

While I have shown and will herein describe a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown as applied to a valve installed in a conventional kerosene stove for controlling the flow of liquid fuel, such as kerosene, from a supply pipe 5 to a burner bowl 6. The valve, as shown, comprises a tubular casing i having an inlet port 8 at one end in communication with V threaded therein as indicated at ll. the stem i0 is effective to shift the valve member port 8 is controlled by valve member =9 formed on the end of an elongated stem H) which extends axially through the casing and is screw Rotation of 9 axially into or out of seating engagement with the casing walls defining the inlet port 8. A suitable handle, herein shown as a general circular knob I2, is non-rotatably fixed on the projecting end of the valve stem ill for manual adjustment of the valve. 7

In carrying out the invention, I provide indicating means rotatable with the valve handle 12 but adjustable relative thereto, and adapted to be frictionally held in a fixed position of adjustment for visually. indicating the adjusted position of the valve. The indicating means in its preferred form comprises an indicator dial [5 having a marker I6, such as a pointer or arrow, stamped or otherwise impressed thereon. The marker, in cooperation with stationary indicia shows the angular position of the valve stem [0 with respect to the casing ID and thus indicates the adjusted position of the valve. The indicia shown by way of example is printed on a panel ll constituting a part of the stove and consists of designations representing the .Ofi' position and the Low, Medium and. High Fire settings of the valve. It will be appreciated that the indicia may be placed on the dial for cooperation with a stationary pointer if preferred.

For adjustably supporting the indicator dial [5 on the valve handle I2, I provide a retainer to, herein shown as an annular member of sheet metal or the like, having an inturned flange 2| around its outer peripheral edge adapted to be anchored in any suitable manner in the face of the handle [2. The central portion of the member is preferably inclined outwardly with respect to the axis of the member and is provided on its inner peripheral edge with a flange 22 adapted to define an annular shoulder facing the handle 12 but spaced outwardly therefrom.

The indicator dial 15, as herein shown, is in the form of a generally circular disc having its central portion pressed outwardly into a convex contour and merging into an upright shoulder 23 spaced inwardly from the marginal edge portion 24 of the plate. The shoulder 23 is preferably dimensioned to fit slidably within the member 20 and thus locate the dial with the marginal edge portion 24 in registration with the shoulder provided by the flange 22. The dial is thus ef- 3 fectually held in assembled relation with the retainer.

Means is provided for yieldably holding the marginal edge portion 24 of the dial in frictional engagement with the flange 22 of the retainer so as to maintain the dial securely in fixed relation to the handle I2, yet permit convenient adjustment to the same relative to the handle when required. This means, as herein shown, comprises a coiled compression spring 25 interposed between the dial and the outer face of the handle [2. The spring is maintained and centered with respect to the dial l5 and handle I2 by the convex contour of the dial.

When equipped with indicating means of the type herein shown, liquid fuel stove valves may be assembled without regard to the precise fitting of the parts. After the valve is assembled, the indicator dial may be set quickly and easily to accurately indicate the adjusted positions of the valve. To effect such adjustment, the valve handle is turned until the valve is completely closed. Thereafter, the dial is pushed in against the force of the spring 25 and rotated relative to the handle until the marker [6 is in registration with the off position shown by the indicia on the stationary stove part. Upon release of the dial, the spring 25 acts to force it into frictional engagement with the retainer 2|] and thus hold it in set position.

As the valve parts become worn in use, resetting of the indicator dial may be effected in the manner above described. The valve handle i2 is turned to close the valve and thereafter the dial I5 is rotated relative to the handle until the marker l6 registers with the "off position indicia on the stationary stove part [1.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides novel indicating means for valves of the type commonly used in kerosene stoves. The indicating means is adapted to be mounted directly on the valve handle and is adjustable relative thereto to take care of any initial irregularities in the valve parts and to compensate for the wear of such parts in use. The indicating means is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, yet efiicient and reliable in operation.

I claim as my invention:

The combination with a rotatable valve member, a handle fast on said member for manually rotating the same, adjustable means for indicating the angular position of said handle with respect to a stationary panel located adjacent said handle, said indicating means comprising a generally circular sheet metal dial having its central portion pressed outwardly to define an upright shoulder extending around and. spaced inwardly from the peripheral edge portion of the dial, an annular sheet metal member secured to said handle at its outer peripheral edge, a flange formed around the inner peripheral edge of said member and turned inwardly toward and spaced from the adjacent face of said handle, said flange being dimensioned to slidably receive the shouldered portion of said dial and to form an abutment for the peripheral edge portion of the dial, a marker on said dial, and a spring interposed between the central portion of said dial and the adjacent face of said handle, said spring normally acting to hold the peripheral edge portion of said dial in frictional engagement with the flange of said annular member and thereby maintain the dial in a fixed position relative to the handle while yie'lding under pressure to permit rotation of the dial relative to the handle for adjusting the position of said marker with respect to the stationary panel.

HERBERT M. REEVES. 

